Fire-escape.



N. E. SCHOONOVER.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-29.1914. 1,176,607. Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

2 SHEETS*SHEET 1.

7 mm 2 151? Wm IIIIIIIIIHllllllhllll IIIIIIIIIIIIIII 9 Z 7 THE COLUMBIAPLANUGRAPH co., WASHINGTON. n. c.

N. E. SCHOONOVER.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29. 1914. 1,176,607. Patented Mar. 21,1916.

2 SHEEN-SHEET 2.

la nsg4 f4 /9 8 I II 5 5 6 v 7 \m a 6 /5 NOAH ELI SCHOONOVER, GF FORTRICE,

TO ED. I/IORCK AND ONE-FOURTH TO W. J.

DAKOTA.

NORTH DAKOTA. ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH MACKIN, BCTH OF MANDAN, NOR-THFIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

Application filed January 29, 1914. Serial No. 815,223.

To all "whom it may concern:

30 it known that I. NOAH ELI Scnooxovnn. a citizen of the United States.residing at Fort llice. in the county of Morton, State of Forth Dakota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire- Flscapes; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full. clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains, to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in lire escapesand particularly that class comprising a movable carrier and brake meansfor regulating the mo ement of the carrier.

The obiect of the present invention rcsides in the provision of a fireescape comprising a movable carrier and brake means associated therewithwhich act to regulate the movement of the carrier and which are operatedby weight being placed on the carrier, so that the carrier will move ata uniform rate of speed regardless of the weight thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device which isetlicient and durable in operation and which is so designed that it maybe installed readily and at a low cost.

With these and other obiects and advantages in view the inventionresides in the novel combination. formation and arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawingsand particularly pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings wherein similar charactersof reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several viewsand in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the improved device. Fig. 2 is anend elevational view thereof. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device.Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on the line 4 r of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is asectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a perspective viewof one of the sliding blocks. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the brakebar, and Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 88, Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings. a pair of upper sidemembers 5 are secured in spaced parallel relation to the building at thehighest portion thereof to which it is desired to extend the fire escapeand a pair of lower side members (3 are secured to the lower portion ofthe building and in spaced parallel relation, each of the side members 6being disposed directly under one of the side members The respectivemembers may be integrally connected as shown.

Journal blocks T are provided for the upper shaft 8 around which themovable carrier is trained and journal blocks 9 are provided for thelower shaft 10 around which the carrier is also trained. These blocksare slidable in slots 11 formed vertically in the side members and theblocks are held against late al displaceinent from the side members byhorizontal flanges 12 and formed on the sides of the said blocks. Eachof the shafts is provided inwardly of the side members with a, pair ofspaced sprocket wheels 13 fixed thereto and sprocket chains ll aretrained over the wheels. Certain spaced links of the chain are providedwith outwardly extending lugs 15 and to these lugs are bolted orotherwise secured the platforms 16 on which the persons using the escapestand. To provide additional supports for the platform, guide rods 17are provided having inwardly extending arms which are secured to theends of certain links disposed adjacent the links carrying the lugs 15.and brace rods 18 are pivotally secured to the outer end portions of theplatform and have slidable engagement with the rod 17. From theforegoing construction it is seen that the brace rods are so mountedthat they may be freely moved around the sprocket wheels 13. Thesprocket chains and platforms above-described thus form the movablecarrier of the escape. To prevent persons from becoming frightened bylooking outwardly and down .vardly when traveling on this movablecarrier. a cloth or other flexible band 18' is disposed between andsecured to the sprocket chains.

The brake means for controlling the movement of the carrier when weightis placed thereon comprises in part levers 19 pivoted intermediate theirends to the outer faces of the upper side members and have their innerends reduced and extended over the journal blocks 7. the ends of theupper shaft 8 being extended outwardly of the blocks and slidable inslots '20 formed in said inner ends. The ends of the lower shaft 10 arealso extended outwardly of its bearing blocks and have fixed theretobrake wheels 21. Brake beams 22 are pivoted to the outer faces of thelower side members and are provided with cutaway portions 23 whichengage the brake wheels. A connecting rod 24 extends from the free endof each brake beam and has pivotal connection with a short rod 24:slidably passed through the outer end of each lever 19. It is seen thatwhen a person steps on the platform, his weight will pull the bearingblocks 7 downwardly and thus rock the levers 19 to cause the brake beamsto engage the brake wheels and check the rotation of the shaft 10 andthus the downward movement of the platform.

A tightening nut is threaded on the end of each rod 24' and serves toadjust the distance between each brake beam and its lever 19. To adjustthe tension of the sprocket chains, a screw 26 is threaded vertically inthe lower side members 6 and bears against the blocks 9 to move thelower shaft 10, around which the chains are trained.

What is claimed is A fire escape comprising a resilient supportingshaft, a lower journaled shaft, a carrier trained around said shafts andengaging the lower to rotate the same, a brake wheel fixed on the lowershaft, a brake beam engageable with said wheel, a lever intermediatelwpivoted and having one end engaged with the first mentioned shaft to berocked upon movement thereof, and a connection between the other end ofthe lever and the brake beam for actuating the same. In testimonywhereof, I atlix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

NOA H ELI SGHOONUVER. Witnesses:

F. \V. Soiiitnnrniin, \V. J. MAOKIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

